27 Hoping To Get Someone Strong
Standing at the entrance of the massive tree log, Asumi peered into the darkness within, a shiver of anticipation coursing through him. "Hello?" he called out, his voice echoing off the shadowy walls. "My name is Asumi. Is anyone in there?"
From the depths of the gloom, a gruff voice rumbled in response. "Ugh, why so loud?" it grumbled, drawing closer to the entrance.
Asumi's gaze lifted to meet the towering figure that emerged from the darkness, his eyes widening in surprise at the sight of the colossal beetle. "Wow," he murmured to himself, his heart racing at the sheer size of the creature before him. "He's even bigger than I thought."
[Appraisal: Titan beetle.
| Level: ??
| Strength: ??
| Current body length 60cm]
"Talk about a true monster," Asumi commented, seeing the stats on The Appraisal window.
The titan beetle, his dark brown exoskeleton gleaming in the dim light, yawned lazily, his massive frame exuding an air of nonchalance. "What do you want, peep squeak?" he rumbled, his voice heavy with indifference.
Despite the intimidating presence of the titan beetle, Asumi couldn't suppress a smirk as he sized up the formidable creature before him. He mused, "For the way he is behaving, I can't expect him to join the village; he will definitely refuse. Instead, I'll start small."
"Well, hello," he replied, his tone laced with playful defiance. "I'd like you to become my ally."
But the titan beetle's response was swift and dismissive. "Sounds like a hassle," he grunted, turning to retreat back into the darkness. "Count me out."
The titan beetle turned around and began walking back into the depths of the tree log.
Asumi stood at the entrance of the tree log, feeling frustration as he reflected on his failed attempt to recruit the titan beetle. "Lisa did say he wouldn't join," he muttered to himself, his brow furrowed with disappointment. "But I didn't think it would be this hard to convince him."
Refusing to give up just yet, Asumi called out to the titan beetle. "Wait!" he yelled, his voice echoing through the cavernous space.
The titan beetle paused in his tracks, a weary sigh escaping his lips. "Come on," he grumbled, turning back to face Asumi. "I already said no."
Undeterred, Asumi pressed on, his tone pleading. "But all I'm asking is for you to be my friend," he insisted.
The titan beetle shook his head, his expression exasperated. "And I already told you, it's a hassle," he retorted.
With a resigned acceptance of defeat, Asumi sighed heavily. "Fine," he conceded. "Then what's your name?"
The titan beetle shrugged, a hint of irritation creeping into his voice. "Name? I don't have one," he replied dismissively. "Too tired to think of that crap."
Undeterred by the titan beetle's brusque demeanor, Asumi offered an alternative suggestion. "Okay, do you mind if I call you Terrance?" he asked.
The titan beetle shrugged indifferently. "Call me whatever you want," he grunted. "I don't care. Just leave me alone."
With a nod of understanding, Asumi took a step back, his gaze lingering on the titan beetle for a moment longer. "Okay then," he said softly. "Farewell." And with that, he turned and departed, leaving Terrance to his solitude within the depths of the tree log.
As Asumi left the tree log behind, his footsteps echoed softly through the dense forest. Frustration gnawed at him as he wandered among the towering trees, his mind consumed by thoughts of his failed attempt to recruit Terrance. "Ugh, now what?" he muttered to himself, kicking a small stone in his path.
Turning his attention to the system window, Asumi began to explore its new features, hoping to find a way to improve his stats for his next encounter.
Asumi's current stats:
[System: loading...]
------------------------------------
| STATUS WINDOW |
-------------------------------------
| Name: Asumi Tora
| level: 10
| Tittle: Ghost Enemy Of The Ant Colony
| Experience points: 45/100
| Mana capacity: 10/10
| Health: 100/100
| Hunger Level: 100/100
| Beetle Type: Poison Rhinoceros
| Current Stage: Adult
|-------------------------------------|
| Abilities:
| - Advanced movement {1}
| - Advanced feeding
| - Appraisal
| - Flight
| - Traits Extraction (40%) {2}
|-------------------------------------|
| Attributes:
| - Strength: 10/100
| - Speed: 5/100
| - Body Length: 15 Cm
-------------------------------------
| Free Stat Point: 2
```
But before he could delve too deeply, a blur of movement caught his eye as an insect zipped past him with incredible speed.
Surprised by the sudden burst of activity, Asumi decided to follow, darting through the dense foliage. Sensing something pursuing it, the insect smirked and, with a burst of speed, left Asumi trailing behind.
"Asumi, left to eat his dust," muttered. "This guy is getting away. I need more speed."
Then he called out to the system, his voice tinged with urgency. "System! How do I activate my wings?" he demanded, his eyes tracking the fleeting insect as it disappeared into the foliage.
The system's response was swift and concise. [System: Host, Press your back muscles to compress them]
Asumi followed the system's guidance, summoning all his strength to compress his back muscles. With a sharp intake of breath, he felt his wing covers begin to shift, and then, with a powerful thrust, he spread his wings wide.
The rush of air against his wings was exhilarating as Asumi took to the skies, his heart pounding with excitement. With newfound speed and agility, he flew after the speeding insect, his eyes fixed on the map as he charted a course through the forest.
"This time, for sure," he mused to himself. And as he raced through the treetops, Asumi knew insects aren't supposed to be able to move that fast, so an insect like that would be one of the elites of the insect world.
